Manchester United Fears Over Sancho Move

Champions League Spot A Must

Manchester United fear their chances of landing Borussia Dortmund winger Jadon Sancho may recede if they fail to qualify for next season’s Champions League.

United were linked at the weekend with a £70million bid for the England international who cost Dortmund just £8million when they bought him from Manchester City two years ago.

Sancho left City because of a lack of first-team opportunities and is now a first-team regular. He is now keen to play football at the very highest level – and that means Champions League football.

Dortmund currently sit on top of the Bundesliga and the 15-point gap they have between themselves and fifth-placed Bayer Leverkusen means they are likely to be playing Champions League football next season. As with the Premier League the top four sides in Germany will go straight in to the group stages

Sancho will only consider a move to Old Trafford if Manchester United have also made it to the Champions League.

But the Red Devils must now be amongst the favourites to finish in a top-four spot. The side were 11 points off a Champions League place when Jose Mourinho was sacked and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was appointed interim manager. That difference has been wiped out following a run of eight wins and one draw in the league since the Norwegian took charge just before Christmas. United now lie in fourth place with Arsenal and an out-of-form Chelsea just behind them in fifth and sixth places respectively.

Sancho is under contract at Dortmund until 2022 and the German club are likely to reject any bid in the £70million range. They will be looking for at least €100million. That’s £90million at current exchange rates.